Resident Evil: Red's Alert
by Konoha-Crash
Summary: Leon's not the only one searching for an answer. Why is the woman 'Red' so interested in the horror filled village and its freakish cult? Rated for occasional swearing and some violence.
1. Red Arrival

**Resident Evil 4: Red's Alert**

"Shit, shit and double SHIT!" Leon S. Kennedy swore loudly as he ran into one of the many houses that made up the small village of...well he'd forgotten what it was called, although "hellhole" might be the best name for it.

The place was silent, he was pretty sure he'd shot them all.

"Now what?" he grumbled, peering out of a window, squinting out through the filthy glass. All he could see outside was a few chickens here and there.

As he watched, one laid an egg, stared at it, then ran off.

"Whew...all gone" he turned away from the widnow.

"death from aboove-"

**BANG**

He turned just as he heared the shout, seing a figure hurtling down from a tree, aiming for the window, only to bang into it and bounce right off.

He stared incredulously at this display of first class asshattery. Then, checking the gun was loaded properly, dashed outside, pointing the weapon at the source of the sound.

And got a big surprise.

"Which dipwit closed the fucking window?!"

It was a female, wearing some sort of military combat uniform, the mosty distinctive part of which was the blood red bullet-proof vest.

She turned her head, dark brown shoulder legnth hair framing a young, maybe 20 year old face.

"D'you close the effing thing? Soon as i can see straight, you are a dead man..."

Then she flopped back against the ground, closing her eyes with a groan, she didnt seem too concenred he was standing there with a shotgun pointed at her head.

"Hey?! HEY?!" he said sharply, kneeling down beside her and shaking her shoudler. "Wake up!!"

This got the desired effect, she opened her eyes and stared at him, seeming a tad more focused this time.

"Who're you then?" she asked blearily.

He hauled her up to a sitting position, "my name's Leon, who the hell are you?", he noticed an insignia on the back of the vest, a marking that looked like a circle, with a bird symbol inside it.

"M'name...well i can't tell ya that.." she stated simply, looking at him with that same vauge expression, rubbing at her head, "Damn what do they make those windows out of?"

"That'd be glass." Leon said, trying to figure out what that symbol was from. "Military?"

She nodded, then forced herself onto her feet. "Bingo, Mr.Leon. I be from the Red Raven Militia, nice ta meet ya."

She picked up the weapon she'd dropped on impact with window, and began checking it.

"That's all very well, but that doesnt explain why you're here. Who are you working for?" He kept a tight grip on the gun, waiting for her to answer.

"i already told you, the red raven group, what more do ya want?". She finished checking the weapon, and looked at the sky "i came 'ere because a few days ago, one of our helicopters went missing around this area, i'm trying to find out what happened, that's all."

He stared at her for several seconds, trying to think why a chopper from this unknown militia would be shot down...

"Hey," she intterupted his thinking abruptly, "you havent explained why YOU'RE here either...fair trade, i gave you my details, now hows about you tell ME?"

He raised an eyebrow, she had an odd attitude for a military soldier.

"Alright, "Red Jacket"" he called her, for lack of a better name, since she hadnt exactly given him one, "i'm searching for this girl, you seen her?".

He held out Ashleys photo, "her name's Ashley Graham, she's the presidents daughter..."

She peered at it for a moment, then shook her head regretfully. "Sorry, havent seen her before, i can't help you there."

"Does the name "Los illuminados" mean anything to you?"

She stared blankly at him, "is that anything to do with a missing lightbulb?".

He smacked his face into his palm. Nevermind that then.

Red stared at him as if he were the loopiest thing she'd come across, then simply shrugged and made to walk off, "whatever Mr.Leon, i got work to do..."

"Wait."

She stopped as he spoke, turning towards him with a bemused expression.

"Yes?"

He lowered the gun, staring over at the church in the village. "Do you even know whats going on here?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but didnt get time to-

_"Un forastero!"_

"Shit!" Leon whipped round, seeing a villager lurching towards them, pitchfork raised above his head, "move it red jacket!!!" he yelled at her, as she stood staring in confusion at the possessed villager.

"But-"

"Just move it!" he shoved her out of the way, levelled the shotgun and fired a few rounds into the mans chest, but the figure staggered on.

He pulled the trigger to fire another shot, but all that happened was an empty clicking, no ammo left.

He swore, trying to clip the new ammo in, looked up and seen the sunlight glinting off the fork's blades as it swung towards him...then stared in ashtonishment as a chicken soared out of nowhere and began attacking the ganados, ducking as the pitchfork narrowly missed his head as the enraged ganados swung it about, trying to throw the bird off.

He finished the ammo load, and fired a final shot into the man's skull.

The chicken, unharmed, simply clucked and wandered off.

"Hmph, didnt think chickens could fly..."

"Depends how high ya throw 'em!" Red, as he mentally called her now, sniggered, standing behind him with a grin on her face. "Not the best ammunition though, they crap on everythin'."

He just shook his head, she was a BASKET CASE. But even a basket case could help him find ashley.

"Listen, more than likely that chopper of yours was shot down by the Illuminados, theyre the source of the problems here."

She turned to look down at the dead villager.

"That guy is a loopy-nados?"

"ILLUMINADOS." he corrected her.

"Thats what i said, loony-nachos..."

He smacked his face with his palm again. "NEVERMIND. My point is we're more than likely after the same people."

She gave a slight nod, "I see. So then would ya mind if i tag along? I could use the company in this hellhole."

He stared at her a moment longer, not even sure if she could be trusted, but right now Ashley was all that mattered, and he needed all the help that was going.

"Might as well, seems like we're looking in the same place for an answer.." he turned and walked towards the church, hearing Red following behind him.

"Stupid in-lavatory-nadas.."

"ILLUMINADOS!!"

She chuckled, then the sound of pen on paper cut into the thick air as she wrote something down in a battered old notebook as she walked slowly behind him..

* * *

**Personal Note**

_Talk about surprising, I ran into someone else in this desolate hellhole. He told me his name's leon, pretty sure he's american._

_He seems to be looking for a missing girl, going by the name of "Ashley Graham". We seem to have joined up in some sort of makeshift team._

_To be honest, though i dont know his true motives, I could use the help in locating the chopper, RRA-0014, so i'll go along with it for now._

_He kept talking about some group called the "loopy-nados" or something like that. I don't know who or what that is, but if its responsible for RRA-0014's dissapearence, someone's gonna pay._

_We were attacked by a hostille local, the guy took several shots to finally kill, and something about his eyes bothered me. They looked, dead somehow, but that can't be possible._

_Hopefully i can find...mmo...ere..._

_..F..ucking pens._

-End Note.

* * *

Whatcha think? -KC 


	2. Blood and Parasite

Reaching the church, he pulled out the key he'd retrieved from whatsisname's creepy house. 

Behind him, Red finally stuffed the notebook back into her pocket.

She followed him into the chruch, glancing behind her as the door closed --such a creepy place...what is going on here?!--

While Leon raided through the drawers of a cabinet in the room, she spied something perched atop a wooden barrel. It was a box, of 9mm handgun ammo.

"Yoink" she murmmered with a slight grin appearing, and she ripped the box open open, quickly reloading the new bullets into the half-empty gun.

As she checked the loading mechanism, with, rather stupidly, the gun pointing upwards, she accidentally pulled the trigger.

The resulting shot hit the lamp hanging from the cieling, causing it to violently explode. She pancied, flapping her arms around and screeching like a maniac.

Leon turned as he heard a shot, followed by'Red' screaming, only to see she'd somehow managed to shoot the oil lamp, and was running in circles like a spastic chicken.

Shaking his head he groaned. She was an idiot.

Luckily the explosion was just a weak one, more show than actual harm, and it soon died out, leaving a burnt patch on the floor, and a twitching Red.

"How the hell did YOU ever get into military??"

Red just twitched.

"shaddup."

Then she blinked, spying something amongst the broken glass, so the the followign speech went like this:

"It scared me ok, you ass-ooh SHINY!!" she made a dive for the shiny object.

"Look!" she grinned, holding up a Spinel jewel "this was in the lamp!"

He blinked, wondering if she even HAD an attention span.

"Hmph, don't know what you want it for." he muttered, heading toweards the door behind her.

Still examining the Spinel, she followed, seeming very happy with this mysteriously shiny object.

------------

The pair dropped down the trapdoor, to a cold and damp underground passage. She followed behind him in silence, giving the damp walls a peeved look.

"Geez, what have these people got against dry, well-lit places anywa-WAUUUGH!!"

The next second she was ducking behind Leon, staring in total horror at the blue flame lamp and the odd figure they had just come face to face with.

"Geez Red.." Leon groused, it was just that merchant again, what was she so afraid of?

"Got some stuff that might interest ya stranger, and your lady friend as well..."

With this he stepped aside to reveal a pretty nice cache of weaponry. Shiny, explosive weaponry.

Needless to say, this caught Red's attention right off. In a flash, she was from behind Leon to crouching by the pile of weaponry, a manic grin on her face.

"Sweet! Man you got some nice stuff here"

Leon blinked, what was she on?

She suddenly turned back around. "hey, lookit!" She held the object in front of her, "its the answer to everything...ROCKET LAUNCHER!!"

For the second time in half an hour, Leon smacked his face into his hand.

The merchant chuckled "ya got good taste in weapons stranger.." he drawled, Red grinned at this compliment " hehe, cant go anywhere without a rocket launcher, now how much do these babies cost?"

---------

She was a nut, a total nut.

Leon walked along the passage way again, hearing Red humming behind him. She'd brought what seemed like a fortune in PTAs, almost all of which she'd just blown on weapons. She now carried her beloved rocket launcher, as well as her gun and a shotgun.

"What position did you have in this "military" of yours anyway?" he asked.

She grinned, "What else? Ballistics. I'm the gun-crazy expert"

"Crazy's about right."

"Shut it before I shove this rocket launcher up your ass."

----------------

Still bickering, they finally emerged back above ground.

Red crept along the path behind Leon, all the noises creeping her out slightly, why did dark places always have to be so..dark??

A sharp gust of wind blew, dislodging a birds nest from its shaky hold up a tree. It landed plop, on Red's head.

Somehow or another, she didnt notice, and carried on behind Leon.

It had seemed, to Leon, to be too good to be true that there would be no more crazy people around. Stupid Sods law.

Cursing under his breath, he turned quickly and shot the one sneaking up towards Red with one fatal shot to its head. And then noticed something.

"Uh, Red...?"

"What?"

He snickered. "Theres...a birds nest on your head..."

He burst out laughing as she feaked out completely.  
**"GET THIS FECKIN' THING OFFA MY HEAD RIGHT NOOOW!!"**

Leaving Red to freak, he turned and run into the graveyard, seeing familair figures moving there...

--------

When he fianlly got back to her, she'd gotten the birds nest off of her hair.

He couldn't help sniggering again at the pissed look on her face.

"Quit laughing you dolt." She chucked a small box at him and set off towards the church, "whichever bird had that nest laid you a little gift.."

He examined it as he followed her, it was a small pack of TMP ammo.

"Flying chickens and birds that lay ammo...NOW i'm worried."

---------

"It's locked and I cant get in.."

"What? Didn't they teach you to pick locks at the academy?"

"Haha." Leon grumbled as he spoke with Ingrid Hunnigan, his supervisor of sorts.

**"FECKIN' BIRDS!!"**

"Leon? whos that?"

Leon groaned. "Thats, well, she wont give her name, but she seems to respond to the nickanme "Red", says shes from some militia..."

Hunnigan frowned "A militia? Which one? Why is she here?"

Leon shrugged "she said it was called "Red Raven" Shes a ballistics headcase apprently searching for a missing chopper-"

**"GET OUTTA THAT FECKIN' TREE!!"**

"-shes an idiot." he finished.

Hunnigan raised an eyebrow.

"I see, i'll do some research on ths miltia, you try and find a way into that church, saving Ashley is our top priority..."

"Right."

He shut the transmission off after this word, and turned to look at Red, who was currently lodged halfway up one of the trees near the church.

"I'm going to find the key for this church, I don't need you to follow me, just stay here.."

As he walked off, Red just made a very rude gesture at him.

----------------------

Half an hour passed.

Red yawned, she'd gotten herself up ths tree, now she had to find a way out of it.

Easier said then done, she couldn't figure out how to get down.

In the end she settled for the old-fashioned way of getting out of a tree. She leaned back, and toppled out of it, landing with a thud on the floor, the rocket laucher poking her in the back.

"Owwie..." she graoned, and closed her eyes, lying there on the ground.

"Ahi esta!" came a hoarse voice.

She opened her eyes, seeing a Ganados standing above her, axe raised, ready to swing it down.

She rolled over and up onto her feet barely in time, the axe thudded into the damp earth just where she would have been.

"Un forastero!!" there came more shouts from the slope leading up to the church.

Red began to back up, panic firing up inside her "oh my god..."

They began to advance, leering unpleasently at her, some carrying axes, others torches.

As one swung at her she leveled the shotgun and began firing into the crowd, killing a few by lucky headshots. Others proved more persistant, but at last, and with almost all her ammo gone, the last fell to the floor, his head blown clean from his shoudlers.

She turned her back on the carnage, stomach jerking unpleasently. Something about that had given her the major creeps, these weren't civilians, they didnt even act human.

While all this spun in her head, one of the bodies she'd shot twitched, and with a sickening sound, a disgusitng, fleshy creature burst from the dead mans neck, waving one razor-shap tentacle around.

Red turned as she heard the sound, but too late.

The sharp limb ripped across her side, tearing throguh the bullet-proof vest as if it were nothing more then tissue paper. She slammed into the ground, and began dragging herself away from it.

The thing continued to wave that weird arm-thing about, screeching and growling almost, as it sought the fresh blood.

She made a strangled gasping noise, what was that thing?!

"w..hat the..fuck...are you?" she hissed, pulling a grenade from a pouch at her back, she only had the one, so this had better work.

She pulled the pin and chucked the small object at the thing, then rolled away, huddling beside the steps of the church. A second later an explosion rocked the ground, and the horrifying sreeches died out in one last gurgled cry.

She closed her eyes, starting to shake just a little, pain overtaking now, as the adrenaline died down.

--oh my god...is this what "loopy-nados" is? That..t.hing..--

She fumbled in her pouch, pulling out a First Aid Spray, using it to to help heal up the semi-deep gash, then slumped back against the cold stone wall, blood seeping into the grass.

Shakily she pulled the same notebook from her pocket, and began shakily writing in scattered sentances.

-------

**Personal note 2**

We've found the church.

Blondie went off on his own.

I got stuck up tree, fell out, villager tried impaling head with axe.

Shot the bugger.

And the rest.

One sprouted icky creature, got the squishsy son of a bastard.

Bleeding now, spray not helping.

Cant be arsed to check my bloddy grammer. or me speeling...

...He..ll ho..le.

-------------

Teh chapter two! XD


	3. Holey Problems

She drifted off at one point, having struggled to stay awake, and failed. 

Next thing she knew, someone was shaking her shoulder. She snapped awake, banging her head back against the wall as she did.

She swore loudly, and snapped her gaze up to whomever had shaken her.

Upon seeing it was Leon, looking a tad worse for wear, she relaxed.

"God you scared me blondie." she snapped, "what happened to you?"

He gave a shrug "oh, you know, giant lake monster, freaky villagers, the usual. You?"

"Eh, just possessed yokels, not much else..." She stood up, and remembered the still-hurting wound.

Leon stared as she wobbled and almost fell over. He made to ask why, then seen the dried bloodstains on her clothes and the rip in the toughened vest.

"What happened to you?" he asked as he walked towards the church door.

"One of..those villagers, sprouted some hellish….THING...from its neck..."

She waved a hand vaguely at him, and he just shrugged. "sounds like the same thing I seen..."

He slotted the object into the churches main door, and shoved it open. Red wobbled in behind him, looking a bit pale and irritated.

After some tinkering, the gates barring the way to the room the girl was apparently in were lifted.

Red stayed outside the door, arms folded, humming a tune. She heard Leon entering the room, then making attempts to calm the girl down, and they at last seemed to work.

Finally, bored of waiting, she opened the door, just at the same time Leon was walking out of it, so they smacked heads-on into each other.

"Watch it blondie!"

"Watch it yourself you trigger-happy halfwit!"

Ashley blinked, peering around Leon to see who he was bickering with.

Red turned from glaring at Leon, to staring at Ashley. "'hello." she said after a second "so your the missing Miss Graham?"

Ashley blinked "yes...but who are you?"

Red grinned, turning so the insignia on her back was visible "Red's me name fer now, good to meet ya, now lets make like someone's pants and split!"

And with that she zipped off towards the ladder.

Ashley just blinked at her. she was defiantly a little odd.

As if reading her mind, Leon spoke: "don't ask, I don't know what she runs on either..."

That said, they followed Red down the ladder to the main area of the creepy church...

* * *

"I'll take the girl.." spoke a creepy voice from the alter. All three froze and whipped round, turning to face the hooded figure, holding a staff in one hand.

"Who're you?!" Leon snapped.

"Oh, forgive me, my name is Osmund Saddler, the leader of this fine...religious community.."

"so YOURE behind this "Loopy-nados" bullshit?!"

Saddler turned his gaze to the blood-soaked soldier. "What have we here? Another intruder?". He chuckled, "insult until you're blue in the face, little red-jacket, it wont make any difference...you wont get out of here alive.."

Red glared, one hand moving towards the rocket launcher on her back, but then froze as she heard saddler speak of the "Gifts" , the plagas, that he'd given Ashley and Leon.

The doors swung open behind them, she barely caught sight of the cross-bow armed figures racing in before Leon had grabbed both hers and Ashley's wrists, and hauled them both towards the window nearby.

She shielded her face with her arms as they catapulted out the window, the sound of shattering stained glass filling her ears, then she slammed, face-first, into solid, wet ground.

Red prised her face off the floor, trying to ignore Leon's sniggering at her oh-so-graceful landing, and followed them out the door. They re-emerged back by the church, and began the journey back to the village, interrupted frequently by ganados.

Red soon accepted these people were hell-bent on killing them, so shooting them became second nature.

Ashley on the other hand, seemed a little scared of it all, she kept close to Leon the whole time, glancing nervously around her, and occasionally at Red, to make sure the other girl hadn't vanished.

* * *

They ran across a bridge, the wooden structure seeming to shudder under their footsteps. They were forced to duck into the cabin nearby when more villagers showed up, boxing off both escape routes.

"Leon!"

The blonde whipped round and caught the object thrown at him, he used it to barricade the door shut, then turned to face who threw it.

"Luis.."

"Small world eh?" Luis Sera advanced towards them, a grin on his face as he spotted Ashley "i see the president has equipped his daughter with ballistics too.."

"How rude!" Ashley yelled, glaring at him.

Red prodded Luis in the head "don't be a pervert." she said shortly.

"And another? Leon's got a gift with the ladies it would seem.." he said, looking Red over.

"Don't worry, they're cool." Leon said simply, and Luis seemed to accept this, giving a slight shrug.

"LOOK!!" all turned at Ashley's shout, to where she was pointing. Outside, villagers were advancing on the cabin, brandishing various weapons.

As Ashley ran upstairs, Red, Luis and Leon all took up position by a window, waiting for the onslaught to begin.

* * *

It seemed unending, shoot one, three more would scramble in. Red swore as one dashed past her, heading up the stairs.

Ashley screamed as she spotted the villager, and crouched on the ground, shielding herself with her arms. Next second a loud shot cut the air, and the villagers now headless body slumped to the floor.

She looked up, seeing red holding a smoking shotgun, a pissed look on her face. She managed to offer Ashley a smile as she lowered the weapon and walked over to her.

"Hey, its okay, 'e wont be trying nothing funny." She helped the blonde up, "you okay?"

Ashley nodded, trying not to look as scared as she felt "i-im OK..." she stammered, and Red patted her shoulder, "that's good, i think we've gotten rid of them all now, lest go back down.."

* * *

"Where now?"

"The route I used to get in here is cut off, so we have no choice but to go forward.."

"You guys go on ahead, i forgot something..."

"Luis..?"

The two girls listened in on the conversation between Luis and Leon, and as the Spaniard left, they walked the rest of the way downstairs.

"You two alright?" Leon asked, Ashley nodded.

"Been better." Red answered, sighing.

* * *

Not far from the old cabin, they came across a dilapidated old shack, with a familiar figure lurking outside. Red immediately went over to him and took the shotgun upgrades the odd merchant offered. To be able to pay for them she simply sold all the odd spinels and things shed collected from the dead villagers.

"Excellent!" she grinned.

"Red."

"Hm?" she turned, seeing Leon holding a sheet of paper out to her, she took it, skimming over what it said.

"Left or right?", Red stared at it "which d'ya wanna take?"

Leon looked at her "I'll deal with what on the right-side path, stay-"

"if you even say "stay here" I'll shoot ya. I'm a soldier buddy, I can handle things by myself. She looked at him "ill take the other path."

With that, the turned the mechanism to open the gate, gave him and Ashley a salute, and ran off down the path.

Leon blinked "heh, good look red." he said quietly, before heading down the right path, Ashley following.

* * *

Rain and thunder assaulted her ears as she entered the camp. She listened closely, hearing breathing nearby. She looked up, and spotted a villager about to throw a hatchet at her. A single shot, knocked him his post, his lifeless body hitting the damp earth.

She ran around the corner, this time the hatchet managing to hit before she could shoot. But that was easily dealt with, and another body hit the dirt.

Looting the attacker she ascended the ladder to the upper part of the wooden structure. All seemed silent.

She crept along, squinting through the heavy rain, shivering as blood dripped from the wound on her shoulder.

"Ahi esta!" hands seized her neck, and flung her round. She over balanced, the whole world whirling around as she fell down, down onto the hard ground below.

The breath knocked out of her for the second time that day, she saw she'd landed in an enclosed "pit" of sorts, the only way out of which seemed to be a door on one side.

As she struggled to her feet, she heard an unearthly screech, accompanied by the sound of a chainsaw revving.

She scrambled back, a hoarse scream escaping as the woman with the chainsaw, her face covered by bandages, swung the saw at her.

"No, no way.." she wheezed, feeling sick.

The woman screamed again but Red was long gone from her trajectory as she swung.

She ran to the other side of the enclosure, spotting a second chainsaw woman drop down to join the second.

She levelled the shotgun, but the mechanism jammed, the gun producing an odd noise.

"Oh no.." she shook her head, the two maniac women were heading right for her, both chainsaws revving in unison.

--Got no other choice-- she thought, reaching for the weapon on her back. Her prized rocket launcher.

The shot obliterated the chainsaw ganados in a flash, but the kickback from the weapon slammed red back into the wall of the enclosure.

She sat there a moment, dazed and confused. then nausea from realisation and the wound hit her all in one go, and she twisted to one side, vomiting heavily.

Her whole body shook after the nausea finally ended, and she forced herself to get back up.

--I hope Leon's having an easier time then I am...-- she thought vaguely. Then spied some glittering objects scattered on the ground.

A ruby, some shotgun shells, and a key.

She pocket the first two, holding onto the third.

A further raid of the pit area unearthed a few incendiary grenades, and a gold bar.

"whoa...nice." she grinned and stuffed it into her side-pouch, and advanced towards the door.

* * *

And soon regretted it.

Opening that door only resulted in coming face to face with even more ganados.

She Lobbed the grenades, one after the other, burning them up in a flash. But more kept coming.

She emptied the handgun as well, in order to be rid of them all, but finally it was done.

She took a few unsteady steps forward, then passed out, the whole incident getting the best of her. Never before had she been in such a volatile combat area, she was used to a more quiet life, working in a gun lab, doing select missions only...

This was a helluva shock to an unsuspecting system...

* * *

"Hey, wake up!"

"Is she okay? there's blood all over her..."

She recognised those voices..it was Ashley and Leon.

"Burgh..." she opened her eyes, seeing Leon crouched beside her, holding a first aid canister, and behind him, looking worried, was Ashley.

Leon helped sit her up, and she waited a second for her head to stop hurting, before speaking.

"So how'd you guys do?"

Leon looked at the bloody soldier "better then you by the looks of it, they had a monstrous giant guarding that end of things, how about you?"

"Chainsaw ganados and the like..." she got to her feet with Leon's help, offering Ashley a reassuring smile "you okay hon.?"

Ashley nodded "a little freaked out, but I'm fine.."

Leon looked at reds back, noting the absence of rocket launcher. "I see you used your "prized possession" already."

"Sadly yes, shotgun jammed, didn't have any other option..."

"So where now?"

Both looked at Ashley as she asked them.

"well, there's a gate leading out of here on the path we took, so lets go.."

More thunder split the skies as the trio headed towards the right-side path...

In the brief moments they were sheltered from the rain, red wrote again...

* * *

**

* * *

Personal Note 3**

We found Leon's missing girl, Ashley Graham. She seems like a nice girl, very quiet, this whole business must be pretty scary to her, i don't blame her for being freaked out.

On that note, almost got killed by those freaky villagers, some with chainsaws.

Hadda use my prized rocket to stop them.  
Prolly woulda died if blondie hadn't found me.

Leon's found a way outta here, so here we go...

* * *

Third chapter - 


	4. King and Queen

They walked through the gate Leon had found, emerging in another dark, empty area. 

--Damnit what happened to daylight?-- Red thought crossly. A building just ahead, thankfully deserted, held a few useful bits and pieces, namely more ammo, and a box of money, which Red found when she kicked a locker over in annnoyance.

Another sheet of paper was dangled in front of her face a second later, and she read it quickly:

Villages Last Defense

I clearly underestimated the American agent's capability. He's still alive. I thought that we could wait until the egg hatched, but at this rate, he could destroy the whole village before it does. We must take care of this nuisance. We shall change our priorities - for the time being, we will cease our hunt for Luis and ambush the two Americans. There is a building used to enlighten betrayers just beyond the point where you get off the lift. It's a perfect place for ambushing them. If all else fails, they still would need to face me in order to get past the last gate that leads out of the village. For only before my sight will the gate open.

Red squinted at it "'before my sight'...eww, we need to get this guys eyeball..."

Leon sighed "great, this aint gonna be easy.."

"Then lets go." Red said simply, heading back out the door. Once outside, she spotted a familiar blue flame, and ran towards it.

Soemhow or another, she managed to snag herself a second rocket a lá launcher.

Leon shook his head, she had an almost scary obsession with those things.

* * *

Following what the note said, they took the gondola down, ambsuhed on the way by more ganados trying to either shoot them outta the gondola or hack it from the support. 

They arrived at another gate, on the the other sideof which was, just down a slope, the "shed of enlightenment" the letter had been about. Ashley was told to find somewhere to hide, and the two entered the building.

It was empty.

Or not. Mendez had followed them. It took a few rounds of TMP and Red's rocket launcher to exterminate the mosnter, and as red watched, an eyeball plopped out of his skull and rolled across the floor. She quickly grabbed it, and stuffed it into her pouch.

* * *

Through the gate was a magnificent-lookign castle. But they didnt have time to admire it, instead they got chased across the drawbridge by ganados, and only by raising the drawbridge did they get away from them. 

Leon surprised Red by buying up two of the rocket launchers, and was even more surprised when he tossed one to her, but she wasnt going to complain, she loved her rockets

They made it up to the next level of the castle without incident, unless you count catapult-launched fireballs a problem, and blasted the next door down with a canon.

* * *

On entering the castle they had an unfortunate meeting with a certain castle owner, who identified hismelf as "Ramon Salazar". Red just called him the "maniac midget" which didnt exactly endear her to him, not that she couldve given a damn. 

The next door the finally found led inside the castle. After a bizzare cultist attack, and some messing about with some wall-mounted swords, the next door was finally revealed.

They headed along the corridor, but saw the way was blocked off by a barrier of flames, A lever was required to cut the flames off, which unfortunatly happened to be guarded by a rather irratable Garrador. The three-man (welll, one man and two women) team carried on, thier long journey intterupted by MORE cultists, levers and explosions.

* * *

They walked down a silent, echoey corridor, all very quiet, all worrying about different things... 

Ashley suddenly started coughing, and paniced when she saw blood on her hands. Leon tried to help her, but she pushed him away from her and ran ahead. Big mistake. Spear-tipped railings suddenly shot between Ashley and the other two. She backed up until she hit the wall at the end, only for metal restraints to suddenly snap round her. The wall rotated and soon she'd vanished from sight.

"ASHLEY!!" Leon yelled, Red stared in shock, now what?! She spotted the door on one side of the corridor, and hauled Leon towards it. Salazar intterupted only to tell them he'd let something loose in the sewers. Red asked if said soemthing was a load of shit, at which point the transmisison cut off.

They were sieged by what seemed to be invisable opponents, but as each on disintegrated into goop, Red noticed shiny jewels were left behind. She gathered each on she came across, and by the time they got out of the sewers, had a nice-sized pile of them.

They emerged onto a walkway, chanting drifted up from the floor below. They scooched up close to the edge and peered down. Dozens of cultisis, all in black bar one dressed in red robes, were gathered in front of an altar. Something was on the altar impaled by a sword, something bloody...

Red elbowed Leon, and made some motions with her hands wich translated to "grenade. Lob one at 'em." A flash granade was tossed first, followed by a hand grenade, and from the depths of Red's pouch, a random incendiary one.

This got rid of the red-robed one, and half of the others, the rest sadly escaped through a large archway, a heavy door slamming down after them.

Leon dropped down the ladder, Red clambering down behind him. He wandered between the pillars, checking for items and stray cultists that might be hiding. Red walked over to the altar, and seen soemthign propped up at the foot of the altar...It was covered by blood.

She knelt down, part of her praying this wasn't what she thought it was. But as she shakily wiped the blood from the metal, her worst fears were confirmed. Streaked by remnants of blood was the inscription: "RRA-0014".

"No...no way..." she shook her head, and seen something else lying on the floor. Two Liscence passes. Letting the piece of metal fall from her hands she picked them up. She lowered her head, shaking, hands clenched tightly, unable to herself from crying just a little.

She didn't hear Leon walk up behind her, and jumped out her skin when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked round, tried to say something, but couldn't, instead she just held up the last remaining piece of the helicopter.

* * *

Leon had been startled by the sudden sound of crying, and scooted back over to Red quickly, only to find her plopped in front of the altar, crying slightly. She didn't say anything, but silently handed a piece of metal to him. At first he couldn't figure out what it was, but then he seen the lettering on it. He understood the reason for her crying. 

"This, is what you were looking for isnt it?" he asked quietly. Red nodded, dragging her sleeve across her eyes.

"T-thats her, these bastards shot her down...why?! NEITHER HER NOR HER PILOTS WERE ANY THREAT!!" She got to her feet, kicking the altar furiously.

Leon looked at her, startled by this change in emotion, she'd seemed such a total airhead, seeing her this pissed and upset was almost scary.

"I'm sure they weren't, but Saddler wouldnt've cared, everything is a threat to him." he said quietly, she nodded, then looked at him. "I'm going to make sure he pays for this.." she sighed "but that has to wait...we have to find Ashley."

"You sure you're alright?" he asked dubiously. She nodded, offering a semi-cheerful smile "i'll make sure they suffer for this later...but right now we gotta find Ashley before Salazar does..."

* * *

Things only got harder as they tried to continue on. Leon got trapped in a cage with yet another angry Garrador, while Red was stuck outside said cage, surrounded by cultists with dynamite. 

They got Ashley back, after a considerable struggle, and spent a total age trying to find the way out. Way out found (along with some odd items here and there), they met thier next obstacle in the shape of a locked and barred door.

"Well this is just GREAT, now whadda we do?" Red complained. Leon looked at the two large statues on either side of the door, and noticed something.

"Red, we haveta find the ornaments that belong with these statues.."

There turned out to be two doorways that might hold the ornaments they sought. As before, Red told Leon and Ashley she'd take one way if they took the other. She set off down a corridor towards the door at the end, and pushed it hesitantly open.

It opened into a very plush hallway, lined up on each side were suits of armor.

She crept down the walkway, gripping her handgun tightly. Just as she walked past the third suit, it suddenly moved, its old armor creaking shrilly as it swung the axe it held at her head. She tripped backwards, landing flat on her ass. The axe slammed into the carpet, just missing her foot. Then it simply crumbled to pieces.

"FK ME!" she yelled, scrambling back and onto her feet. Round the next corner, with another line of suits, the end one did the same thing.

The corridor lead into a large domed room, with a very high cieling. It was empty, except for an ornate table at its center. She strode over and grabbed the cup.

"This must be what Leon was on about..hm?" she spotted an isncription etched into the table. "Kings Grail - A Curse will fall on those that dare to disturb it"

She looked from the cup to the writing. "WHAT THE SHIT?!" she yelled at it, just as what she'd thought were lcoked doors all around the room suddenly opened, and suits of armor clanked out.

"Oh you have GOTTA be kidding me.." she stepped back, only to realise they were all around her, each one carrying a heavy axe in its hands. She ducked as one swung at her, and ran away from them, only for a metal grille to slam down, cutting off her only escape route before she reached it.

What followed next was a long-winded and noisy fight. Gunshots simply boucned off them, knife stabs didnt even scratch the armor, nothing seemed to work, and she wrenched her ankle falling over when trying to avoid getting imapled. Then she found something that DID work, grenades. Before she'd gone off on her own, Leon had given her a bunch of different ammo and grenades. FLASH grenades.

Before theyd carried on their search after the altar findings, she'd used rope to strap the peice of chopper metal to her back, rather than carry it. She soon found out just how good an idea that was. Getting rid of the first round of suits had only prompted a second wave to appear, all bent on killing this intruder.

She ducked and ran, only for the bad ankle to give way and send her to the floor abruptly. She lay, winded slightly, face-planted on the floor, and heard a clanking footstep behind her. She seen a glint of metal swinging towards her in the corner of her vision. --this is it..im dead..--

She waited for it to slam into her, but all the happened was a loud clang, and the knight armor stumbled back slightly.

"Eh?" she blinked, but didnt watse any more time wrecking the rest of them.

* * *

With every bit of ammo and grenade spent, and bits of armor scattered about whole room, she sat on the floor, wheezing, then she undid the ropes holding the metal to her back. 

And stared at it in shock. Right in the center of the destroyed choppers remainign peice, was a gaping hole, just same shape as the axe blade.

She stared at it, then awkwardly hugged the piece of metal "thanks, ya saved me.." she said softly. Then she got up and, carrying both metal and Kings Grail, walked back towards the barred door.

She limped down the corridor again, covered in cuts and bruises, but finally knowing what had to be done, to honor those that she'd lost.

She got back to the door, to find Leon and Ashley not back yet, so she sat on the floor, leaning against the metal bars barring the door, and began to write.

* * *

**Personal Note 4**

I found 0014's wherabvaouts, or to be accurate, the last peice of her. They destroyed her and her pilots, these heartless bastards.

Both pilots are dead, i don't want to beleive it, but its unlikely that Saddler would've kept them alive, i wish i had time to mourn them, but we'll all die if we dont get outta here, they'll be rememebred properly when i get back to base...

I know crying and getting upset wont bring them back, but i just feel like just crying my eyes out right now...but i don't have time to cry..i have to find out who shot her down, and what really happened...my mission isnt over.

I'm waiting for Blondie and Ashley to get back, i've found part of the way out of this area. What lies beyond here? I don't know...

* * *

I finally writes something! 

AND i knows i forgot this the last few chapters, but i certainly doesnt own RE4, much as i wish i did D Lucky CAPCOM does. I'm just a little fic writer.


	5. Sacrificial Stupidity

With Ashley tagging along beside him, Leon managed to acquire the "Queens Grail" after some near-death incidents and another meeting with the maniac midget known as Salazar. 

Walking down the dark hallway, with the curtains flapping in the breeze from the open window, Leon spotted Red propped up against the doorway. He sped up slightly, kneeling beside her and poking her shoulder.

--She'd better not have died...-- he thoguht. But luckily that fear was soon dissolved as Red stirred.

"But monsier, ye have my pants..." she mumbled. Ashley giggled and Leon sighed, oh she weas fine alright, as mad as ever.

She woke up properly, and greeted the blonde by patting him on the head, then getting to her feet, ignoring Leons annoyed expression.

Inserting Grails King and Queen lifted the grille, and they dashed on...

Another long corridor, then into an open domed room with what looked like a giant hive hanging from the cieling. And where theres a giant hive, theres bound to be a giant BUG. Which made off with Ashley, leaving the other two behind. NOT good.

On making it outside they spotted a walkway, a lever swung it round and they dashed across it, barging into the next part of the castle.

* * *

"Ah so you made it Mr. Scott Kennedy, and little Red-Jacket too.." Salazar sneered, sat up on a throne-like chair, and kneeling by the chair, with Salazar's two henchman gaurding her, was Ashley. 

"ASHLEY!" Both cried at the same time, darting over towards her. Salazar grinned, and pressed a button on his chair. The candle-flames flickered, and the floor beneath them gave way.

Red screamed as she felt the world seem to drop away beneath her. But before she could fall to her death, a bang was head, and a hand grabbed hers, and the frightening fall stopped abruptly.

On opening her eyes she saw Leon had used some sort of grapple-gun thing, and this was what had stopepd the fall. She kept a tight hold on his hand as he slowly winched them them down the steep drop, until they finally reached the bottom.

"I owe ya one Leon.." she hiccuped, for once neglecting to call him blondie.

"You sure you're okay?" he had to ask, as she wobbled about.

"Yeah m'fine, just a bit freaked..." she sat down on a piece of rock, and suddenly seemed to think of something, "got a question: why'd he call you Scott? I thought your name was Leon?"

He looked at her as if she were nuts, "Scott's my middle name dumbass." was all he said before walking off. She shrugged "cool, it suits." then follwed.

"Speaking of names, what IS yours anyway?!"

"Haha, not telling ya blondie."

"...Damnit."

* * *

Another call from Salazar, with the threat he'd sent his right hand after them. Red crakced up laughing when Leon asked if Salazar's right hand came off? This pissed the midget off even more, and things didnt improve when Red mentioned he'd have to use a different hand now. (Bonus points if youre a pervert and get this joke :D). 

Done snickering, they spent a good 20 minuites waiting for an elevator to come up, all the while being chased by the "right hand" gaurd Salazar had sent.

* * *

Chainsaws, Dynamite, Power Breaker. Three things in one space that casued so much fuss. Having sorted that they thought they were in for an easy time. Bollocks to that. 

Two HUGE creatures came stomping in from the only other door in the room. The gun-toting pair stood there with their mouths hanging open. Then legged it seperate ways as each creature picked a target.

"Holy fricken hell!! where did these things come from?" Red yelled, ducking and jumping back as a huge foot stomped down at her. She fired nigh on 15 bullets into the things face, but it seemed unaffected. It picked up her up and shook her slightly, as if she were a rag doll.

"Lemme gooo!!" she stabbed at it with her knife, but it barely penetrated the things thick skin. Just as she felt she was gonna be sick from the shaking, something whizzed past, grabbing her collar and pulling her from its grip, thankfully its hold hadnt been that tight.

Leon let go of the lever that ran across the cieling of the room, and landed back on the ground, dumping Red on her butt. "Watch those things, try to aim for their back." was all he had time to say, before they had to run seperate ways again.

Red soon understood what THAT meant, the disgusting beasts had a parasite on thier backs, but trying to aim when a giant thing is trying to squash you is NOT easy.

One got knocked into the lava pit at the rooms center, and the other got its ass kicked by a shit-load of grenades.

* * *

"What's...n-next.." Red wheezed, "what is this? All-night fighting marathon?!" 

Leon shrugged, he was as exausted as she was, but what good would complaining do?

* * *

What was next was a riddle involving two switches, and Red screaming her head off on encountering a few more of the strange creatures Salazar had released. 

Giant weights threatened to pummel them after that, but they finally made it above ground.

There was one high point in the madness that ensued in the trip to get the "lions scarifice" the next door required. Red finally lost her rag with the chainsaw man, somehow got the chainsaw off him, and chased him round the cavern with it.

Oddly enough, she kept the chainsaw, and it came it handy during a little rollercoaster ride that made the pair want to hurl from too many sharp bends.

"I think..im..about...to barf..." red wheezed.

Leon looked as pale as she did, if not worse, both were covered in cuts and scratches from the long ride.

"Can't be much worse after this right?" Red squeaked.

* * *

10 minuites later... 

"FSKING SOD'S LAW!!" Red screamed as they ran the damn hell away from a giant mechaincal doll, made out of stone, that resembled the midget Salazar.

"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SAID IT COULDN'T GET WORSE!!"

"SHUT IT YOU BLONDE PLANK!!"

But luck was with them the next second, for as the thing lumbered after them, the bridge collapsed, and it fell onto the rocks below, leaving them safe. For about 5 minuites anyway.

* * *

"Ah, you just missed her...she left with my men to an island..." 

The exausted Red and Leon satred in pissed annoyance at Salazar.

"WHAT?!" Red snapped. Salazar turned to grin at them, raising his arms as if summoning something.

"i must applaud you two for your unwavering will to live...but this is it...welcome..."

Weird-looking tentacle-like like things picked up him and his only remaining assistant, and the strange mass that had seemed to be growing on the far wall opened up and devoured them both. Then it began to change, warping and twisting into a hideous deformed beast, with a mutated Salazar at its center.

"I'll make you two suffer, just like Ashley!" it roared, swinging two large whip-like tentacles at them.

They looked at each other, Red mouthed "ill distract it, you shoot" and Leon nodded. This plan seemed to work, Red danced about in front of it, running about like a total spaz, and Leon jumped down off the walkway to the area below, and began firing at it from that angle.

When it swung its jaws at Red a third time, she drove her knife into its eye. It screamed in pain, pulling back. "DAMN YOUU" it screeched.

Red laughed "who's suffering now-gahhh!!" the next second one of the tentacles wrapped around her waist and lifted her clean off the ground. It began to squeeze, its laughter echoing in the room as Red cried out in pain.

"RED!!" Leon yelled, lowering the sniper rifle. Damn creature wqas holding the female right near its vulnerable spot, as if knowing he wouldnt fire.

Red heard Leons vocie faintly, everything seemed to be shutting off, her ribs felt like they were being crushed.

--no, i don't wqant to die here...please...--

The next second, her prayer was answered. The thing shook her again, laughing as she squirmed. By some sheer divine intervention, or maybe just pure luck, Red's squirming shifted the position of the rocket launcher, the weapon she'd been saving for the final blow.

Said squirming shifted the weapon so it almost came free from its straps, so it was angled dementedly at the exposed Salazar.

And when Salazar tightened the grip again a second later, this was enough to press in the release button.

Salazar realsied too late what had happened, he gave one final scream of fury as the rocket punched a fist-sized hole in his heart, killing him instantly. The tentacle released Red and she landed with a thump on the floor. On top of leon, who'd been running like a headless chicken udnerneath the whole time, to try catch her if Salazar let go.

"Damn youre heavy..." the blonde shoved her off him, and sighed.

Red blinked. "Sorry" she offered, looking as shaken as he did. They wobbled to their feet, Leon's head aching worse than earlier, he looked more than a little worse for wear...

Red turned to where the destruction of salazar had revealed an exit, "Let's get going, theres a door up there blondie...BLONDIE?!"

She heard a dull thud. Looking round-mid sentance she seen poor Leon passed out on the floor.

"Aw shit..." She sighed, the knelt known by him. Breathing; fine, pulse; fine, he was just tired out..

On closer inspection she noticed a few deep cuts that were losing blood pretty fast. And she didnt have anything remotely resembling a bandage, or even a spray...

She took her bullet-proof jacket off, underneath which she wore a long-sleeved top made of thick fabric. With a loud ripping noise she tore one of the sleeves clean from its stitching. This she tore into shreds and used it to banadge up the worst of the cuts, then folded the bullet-jacket up so it made a pillow and popped it under his head.

Then she sat cross-legged next the the old-cold blonde, and waited for him to wake up...

* * *

**Personal Note 5**

Salazar's dead.

Good and dead.

But Ashley was sent to some island, how we're going to get there i dont know.

Theres some stairs leading out of this icky room, but Leons gone and passed out on me and there's NO way i can carry that guy, he's a LOT heavier then i am...So now all i can do is sit here and wait for him to wake up.

I hope Ashley's Okay...

* * *

whoo, new chappie! At last...XD 


	6. Woman in a Red Dress

It was a good 20 minuites before Leon finally woke back up, and he wasnt in the most cheerful mood either.

"What the fuck?" he swore, sitting up and rubbing his head sleepily.

Red blinked, snapping out of her daze and looking at him. "Well, look who decided to rejoin the land of the living (dead?), ya feelin' any better?"

Leon stared at her "what happened...?"

She shrugged lightly "one second you were on your feet, next, you're out for the count...i figured it was best to let you wake up in your own time..."

He took all this in and sighed, then noticed the shredded state of her sleeve. "What happened to your uniform..."then he noticed the bandaged cuts, "oh wait, never mind.."

She shrugged again "i ran outta bandages...now c'mon.." she hauled him to his feet, "we need to find a way to that island Salazar mentioned..."

* * *

It was with some difficulty they got down the wall outside the doors, but with the help of a lever-like doo-dah attached to the wall, they managed the way down. 

Even with the blood flow stopped by the makeshift bandages, the cuts were still causing a lot of pain, and to Red's relief the merchant was in the next room the duo stumbled into, and she bought the entire supply of first aid sprays. And the usual prized rocket launching thingy.

* * *

"Well thank god for that..." Leon sighed, all cuts healed up. Red yawned, she looked half asleep and tired out, Leon could tell she wasnt trained for this kind of thing, she looked half-dead already. 

They went down a lift, ambled round the corridor, and spotted a boat. And a person in it.

* * *

Ada sat back in the boat and hummed to herself. What was taking that guy so long? Then she heard footsteps, she smiled slightly, but got a surprise as TWO people rounded the corner, instead of the one she'd been expecting. 

One of course, was the person she'd intended to meet with, Leon. The other appeared to be a female with brown hair and a weary expression on her face. She wore some kinda tunic/top and a red, torn, bullet-jacket over it. As Leon stopped to stare at the boat and who was in it, the girl, wobbling along behind him, smacked into his back.

"Mph...whaddya stop for blondie? Eh..." she caught sight of Ada then.

* * *

Red stared at Ada for several seconds, who was she? She certainly was pretty.. 

--Woman in a red dres...-- she thought, then blinked as the woman spoke.

"Need a ride handsome?" Ada looked from leon to his companion, "and i daresay youre headed the same direction..?"

Red blinked again, "bingo."

Still trying to sort her mind out, Red scootched into the boat, and held on tightly as it sped off.

* * *

Red sat in the backseat of the motoroat, watching the two up front. Leon seemed to be staring at the pretty woman in the red dress a lot, did he know her? 

--Meh, ex-girlfriend maybe?-- she wondered.

Ada cast a glance at the backseat passenger. It wasn't unusual for Leon to help anyone he came across, but who was this one? As Red leaned slightly over the side of the boat, Ada caught a quick glimpse of the insignia on the jacket. --She's military? But where did she come from?--

But she had no time to muse of the odd girl's origins, seconds later she turned the boat in a sharp turn, startling both the other pasengers, and slamming the boat into the side of a rock-face.

"Ada?!"

"I have business to attend to, see ya 'round.." and with that, the woman was gone.

--Ada, so that's her name..-- Red thoguht, then heard Leon mutter "women."

She whapped him upside the head and clambered out of the boat.

"Now where are we..?"

Leon just shrugged in response, and they set about finding their way on the barren-looking island.

Their attempts to sneak onto the heavily gaurded part of the place didnt exactly go to plan. Barely had thier feet touched the ground, then massive searchlights flashed on, and loud, harsh alarms blared across the previously silent place.

Leaving Leon to deal with the heavy-armed forces, Red dashed up the steps to the door, only to find it wouldn't open.

"Damnit!" she bashed the wall with one fist, and blinked as a red laser flashed into existence, shining out over the site. She turned, and spotted two reflective mirrors mounted on top of two barrack buidlings.

No time to bother Leon, he was busy. She ran from building to building, twiddling with the mirrors, and by the time Leon had dealt with all the henchmen, the locked door was now wide open, lasers bounced from mirror to mirror and back again.

"So THATS where you went.." Leon grumbled.

Red grinned sheepishly, "Sorry..."

Leon just shrugged, she'd gotten the door open, who was he to argue?

* * *

They waded through dozens upon dozens of ganados wielding, of all things, dynamite. They pretty much stripped the place of any ammo that the forces had left, and some money here and there. 

In through another door, more dynamite, some odd treasures found in a hidden cave. Red had her arms full by the time they finally reached another door.

It led into what seemed to be the base of operations. Bending, twisting corridors, and into a kitchen.

Red pulled a face as the stench of rotten meat hit them. "Blech, thats gross..." she mutttered, Leon just shrugged "eh, i'm hungry..."

Red stared at him like he was crazy, "hungry?! Leon, how can you think about food at a time like this?!"

He didn't have time to answer, for as they rounded the corner and into the main kitchen area, a person came stumbling out of a roasting unit, little more than a human fireball. It moaned and grabbed desperatly at Red, whose response was to kick it in the nads and knock it back into where it had come from. Then slam the door on it. Then drag a heavy box in front of said door.

Leon was still snickering as they left the room.

* * *

More gaurds, a red jewel in a case, and onto a survailence room. 

THey caugth a glimpse pof Ashley, and of the room where she was beign held, but then the cameras were abruptly shut off.

"Hmph..amatuers" Leon smriked, and Red sighed "i hope she's OK...".

"We'll find her, so don't start worrying."

Red nodded, and yawned, god was she tired...

* * *

Garage doors and Dynamite-weilding Ganados. One more problem solved, by use of a lot of explosions anyway. Red sold the merchant the shedload of stuff she'd been carting about, and bought a new rocket a la laucnher, and even a mine-launcher. As for the rest of the PTAs, those went on weapons upgrades for the pair's overly-large collection of weapons. 

Thier search led them to an area with two doors. One to what looked like a cryo lab, the other, at the end of a corridor, to a garbage disposal area.

"Well now we're stuck..." Red complained, "lets try the other way..."

Said other way led to an Autopsy room. It was empty, and cold.

As Leon zoomed over to a security panel to try and open the door to one of the rooms just inside, Red stared at something inside the other room.

The glass window looking into the room was blocked partially, and dirt and grime caked its surface, but she could swear she seen a body in there..

Her attention was distrated as she heard a beep, Leon had gotten the door open.

She stood outside it as he went in, humming a tune. Damn it was quiet. She could hear her own stomach gurgling, and she hadnt even known she was hugnry!

She clsoed her eyes, and sighed, zonign out. But she was brought back to reality pretty fast as the door to the room she'd been staring at suddenly opened. A scream tried to escape, but her whole body froze up at what came lurching out of that door, the sound sthat came from it chilled her to the core.

"Hggggh...hurgghk..."

It ambled towards her, raising its arms to grab for her.

Red shot at it, but it just stumbled on. Then the shotguns ammo run dry, and she seen it reachign for her...

But then her collar was grabbed and she was yanked back, a series fo shots burying themselves in the things rotten flesh. It stopped in its tracks, then its body bulged, swelling more and more, until...

**POP.**

Its top half exploded in a shower of gore, splattering the two standing there. Reds stomach couldn't take any more and she dived behind the bed in the room and for a second time, whatever she'd managed to eat made a return call.

Leon patted her back as she stood back up again, and she managed a slight smile.

"What...was...that?!" she hiccuped.

Leon looked at a report he'd picked up inside the room. "Regenerator's apparently. Their body's have multiple paarsites in them, we need to find an infrared scope or something to that effect..."

* * *

They bumped into another one just outside the autopsy room, and this time, when it looked like it was gonna explode, Red turned in the opposite direction. She marveled at how Leon didnt seem to be affected by this gross display. Lucky guy...

* * *

In his search of that room, the report wasn't the only thing Leon found. He'd picked up a Card-Key for the Cryogenic lab they'd come across earlier. 

The cold hit them as they stumbled inside, rows of bodys were suspended on a rack, some on gurneys scattered abotut he chilled room.

While Leon was checking the two rooms isnide there, Red walked along a row of glass-doored cabinets, using the shotgun to break each one. From inside these she located a considerable amount of ammo, and some odd herbs too.

At the opposite end of the room, on the suspended line of bodies, there was a twitch. Then one body slid from the hook holding it up, and landed on the floor.

It got to its feet, and stumbled towards Red.

* * *

Red blinked as she heard fotosteps. She turned. "Whatcha find-" her voice died in her throat. It was another Regenerator, and this time Leon wasn't beside her to blow it to kingdom come. 

She switched from shotgun to Mine-launcher, fired four or five mines at it, then dived behind a gurney. The following explosion splattered regenerator guts all OVER the floor. Luckily not on her this time.

Then she heard more footsteps. She gave a terrified squeak as the footsteps stopped right by the gurney.

And sighed in releif a second later as it turned out to be only Leon.

He'd found the Infrared scope, and with it, hopefully Regenerators would be slightly easier to dispose of.

* * *

Sadly that wasnt the end of those things, two more had found the two human targets as they exited the cryo lab. 

Red happily let Leon deal with them, he seemed able to face one without wanting to throw up when they exploded.

* * *

After more shooting and detsruction, they found Ashley's cell. And also found they needed a Card-Key for that as well. 

Reassuring the scared Ashley they'd be back, the duo left again to go in search of a Key.

Said Key was in the possesion of yet _ANOTHER_ Regenerator. Only this one was different. Spikes Protruded from its body, and it had even more parasites on it then the normal ones.

After the bog-standard gore-pop sequence, they found a Key in amongst the splats of guts and gore.

But now they had the Key, they could rescue Ashley.

Just as they were about to exit the cell, a paper airplane came drifting in the barred window of the room. Leon picked it up and Red leaned over his shoulder to have a look.

**Paper Airplane **

**If you havent already figured it out, you can escape by using the watse dispal chute**

Red blinked "thats back that way...and.." she peered round the door "we got company!"

Dozens upon dozens of henchmen, archers and heavily armored guards slowed them trio down as they made a way back to the watse disposal place. But between mine darts and shotguns, not many stood a chance.

"Well, this is it.."

Ashley looked at leon and pulled a face "Ugh, it stinks...".

"Sure does..." he shrugged, red leaned over the edge. "ew, gross..."

Both girls looked at Leon, who had something like a grin on his face.

"No way Leon!" both stated at the same time.

"Way." was all he said, then he grabbed thier hands and pulled them with him as he jumped down into the dark waste chute.

* * *

THUD. 

"owwie..."

"Are you crazy?!"

"I knew you'd be fine if you landed on your butt..."

Red chuckled as she listened to ashley and leon havign a mini-argument. She got to her feet, then noticed what they'd landed on. A dead regenerator by the look of it.

She scuttled over to join the other two, those Regen things gave her the creeps.

Sadly though, that one proved not to be as dead as she'd hoped. Ten seconds later it ambled after them, and again another gross gore-fest followed.

Round the bend and yet another monstrosity spotted them. And got a mine-dart between the eyes. And several other places.

After brekaing a door down with a wrecking ball, thier way was ambsued by more of the sickening creatures. But after clearing the place of the lot of them, and getting the door open, they came across a way out. A MASSIVE digger/bulldozer thing.

They left Ashley to do the driving, while they did the job of shooting the slow-witted, parasite-carrying henchmen.

A truck attempted to ram them on two seperate occasions, but blowing its engine to smithereens soon stopped it. It also forced them to steer out of the way before it hit thtem. The bulldozer ended up bashing a wall down, throwing all three out of it.

"Next time...we'll walk." Red muttered as they pushed through the door.

Another merchant more explosives. And through another door...

Only to see with the last person they wanted to EVER see.

"Saddler!!" Leon glared at him.

Saddler just laughed at Leon's shouting, and when the american tried to attack him, he just smirked, the staff he carried seemed to pulsate, and twitch, and a second later, the blonde was on the floor, in masive amounts of pain it would seem.

"Asshole!" Red pulled her handgun out, but Saddler had prepared for that also. Before she could pull the trigger, the cult leader threw something towards her. It flashed silver in the light filtering in through the dirty skylights. And embedded itself in her shoulder.

Shock hit first, then pain, all in a split second. The gun clattered to the floor, and she collasped, trying to pull out the combat knife that had buried itself in her shoulder.

Ashley looked terrified. She began to back up, but Saddler held out a hand towards her. She seemed to pause, and when she looked back up a seocnd later, there was no emotion in her eyes.

"A..ashley..." Red tried to grab the other girls arm as she walked past, but such an action caused even more pain. She didn't see the transmitter Leon threw attach itself to Ashley, and luckily neither did saddler.

She sat, doubled up in pain, still pulling at the knife. After one more tug she finally pulled it free, the force sending the weapon skittering across the floor, stained with blood.

Almost crying with the pain, she tried to stand, but fell. Then, seconds later, she felt a familair presnece beside her.

Lucky for her Leon had picked up a spray from the merchant, but while this served to lessen the damage, it remained a very serious wound. All she could do was tear up the other sleeve on her tunic and use that.

She had to hold onto Leon in order to walk as they slowly made thier way along. Snipers in one room, and a chance encounter waiting in the next.

Sensing something was wrong, Leon told Red to wait below while he went up onto the upper level of the walkway in the next area. Just as well. Barely had he made it halfway across, then an all too familiar figure landed behind him..

"Krauser..."

"Long time no see...comrade..."

* * *

Red craned her neck, she could just about see Leon, but who was the other? He looked like a maniac... 

She wobbled on her feet, the wound was hurting worse then ever, she needed more sprays, but none were to be found.

She heard the two men arguing with each other, and the sounds of a struggle. She made to run towards the lift, but then something fell from the air and hit her on the head. She swore for several seconds, then finally looked at the floor to see what it was.

A first-aid spray. But where..?

Too tried to argue with the physics of thin air, she adminsitered the sparay and sighed in relief as the pain eased a little. Then almost jumped out of her skin as a gunshot rang out. The sound of something clattering to the metal walkway...

"LEON?!" she yelled, running for the lift...

* * *

**Personal Note 6**

Saddler has Ashley, we're headed after her. Theres a knife wound in my shoulder, its impedeing my movement, i dont want to be slowing Leon down.

Maybe i should let him go on ahead...

But then i wont be able to survive alone, that much i know. I'm no survival expert, im not trained like he is. My place is in a weapons lab, not here...

* * *

Yay, more fic! And thanks for the reviews! 


	7. And Now The Darkness Ends

Red 7 

When Red finally managed to haul her aching body up the ladder, she caught a glimpse of the woman from the boat again, and then the lady vansihed, jumping down off the walkway.

"L..leon?" The blonde turned round, seeing red standing there, looking somewhat bemused.

"What happened?" she asked as he walked over, and started helping her stagger towards the ladder down from the walkway.

"I ran into an old friend, lets put it that way.." was all he said. Red didn't push him for any more info, he didnt seem to happy about it.

Leon insisted on going ahead to check the area, and it was just as well he did, for there was a plethora of lasers blocking the way. It took some fancy acrobatics from Leon to avoid them all, but he succeeded in getting the door at the other end open, then he went back to help drag Red along.

The door opened into a room with a large throne-like chair in it. It seemed like a dead end, until they spotted the lift hidden behind the large chair.

* * *

It brought them down to a dank, smelly underground cave. They walked along it, both relieved to spot a blue flame by which stood the merchant. Red again bought all the First Aid Sprays the merchant had, and after using a further two on the wound, she began to feel a bit less dead.

"Think you can manage?" Leon asked. She nodded, "ill be fine now", then finished releading all her weaponry, managed a slight smile, and off they went.

The next door opened out into a even larger cavern. But this one wouldnt be a simple job to get across. Between where they stood and the other end, there was a ginormous gap, across which three huge crates were suspended.

Red groaned, and was about to complain about how to get over, when Leon suddenly spotted something glimmering on the ground a few feet away.

It was the transmitter he'd attached to ashley. Both stood staring at it in bemused exuastion, but were distratced by a low rumbling.

"what the hell's that?" Leon muttered. Red opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get a chance. The wall in front of them broke down, and something charged out it, smacking into them and landing them both in the first suspended crate.

"Oww..." Red coughed and managed to scramble back onto her feet, only to come face to face with the thing that had put them there.

It was UGLY. Looking vaugely like a cross between a dino and a human, it regarded them with lizard-like eyes, then decided they were worth eating, and lunged again.

But both cleared out of its way mighty fast.

They soon sussed out how the crates were set up. There were two switches in each one, both of which had to be pressed to open the door to the proceeding crate. Downside being after both switches were pressed, it gave them only 30 seconds to dash to the gate otherwise theyd plummet to thier deaths with the crate as it was released once time ran out.

The thing pursued them relentlessly, making this all the more difficult, but oddly enough, once they reached the third crate, it dissapeared. Theyd weren't going to complain, and quickly sourced out the switches, pressed 'em both, and hightailed it towards the last gate.

But the only way out of the crate and over to solid ground again was via a crane hook. Just as they spotted it, the disgusting creature came out of hiding. It raced towards them, its unearthly screech echoing in the vast cavern. Leon lept easily onto the hook, and Red jumped after, clinging tightly onto him so she didnt fall.

It made a grab for them, but the time limit was reached. With a snap, the chains hodling the final crate snapped, and the thing was carried with it as it plunged, into the seemingly bottomless space.

Red sighed in relief as the crane swung them over to land. Leon had to wait several seconds before she let go of him, as she seemed to be somewhat dizzy, no doubt from blood loss.

But barely had they walked a few meteres away from the edge then there was the sound of something runninf up behind them. They turned, spotting the thing running for them again. It smacked into them, knocking them different ways, and finally stopping a few feet away. But not because it was bored playing with them. Hell no. Its body shifted, it screeched again as its body mutated, becoming even more dangerous and blood-thirsty.

Red lay where she'd fallen, stunned and winded by the blow. She heard Leon swearing, and gun shots being fired. She got a vauge notion he might want help, and forced herself to sit up. It had him backed up aaginst the far wall of the area, and was slowly advancing on him.

She got to her feet, ignoring her bodys complaints, and took the rocket launcher from her back.

"DUCK LEON!!" she yelled. The american heard her, and quickly ducked under the things arm and ducked behind an outcropping of rock. It turned, to see what had distracted it from Leon. And got a rocket to the face, courtesy of one pissed gun expert.

When he was sure it was over, Leon came out from his hiding spot. He watched as Red tossed the empty launcher aside, and sat on the floor with a shaky sigh.

"Maybe..you should go on ahead Leon...i cant keep walking.." she muttered.

He frowned, in his (short-lived, mind) career as a police officer, hed been taught never to leave a parter or civilian behind. Red certainly counted as a partner. So like hell he was gonna leave her there. He ignored her objections and helped her to her feet, letting her use his shoulder as support so she could walk. She didn't say anything, but he could tell from her expression that she was releived not to be left alone in the hell hole.

--I really owe this guy...-- Red thought to herself as the pair made thier slow way out of the place and finally above ground.

The area where they emerged was small, and jutted out over what looked like a camp. A quick glance down revealed a group of military ganados, which were easily disposed of by the use of some handily placed explovie barrels in the camp.

All inhabitants blown to next tuesday, Leon jumped down, and caught Red easily when when she slipped down after him. There was a manhole in one of the tents that led deep underound, and had a merchant at the other end of it, by a ladder. Knowing itd cheer her up, leon grabbed a rocket launcher for the red-jacketed one.

But before they could climb the ladder, they spotted a piece of dicarded paper lying atop a crate next to said ladder. Red picked it up, read it quickly, went red briefly, then worriedly handed it over to leon.

_Krauser's Note_

_It turns out that old man Saddler wasn't buying me from the start. Even though I succeeded in kidnapping Ashley, I sort of sensed this when Saddler didn't completely let me in the loop. Under the circumstances, I had no other alternative but to call for her assistance. Perhaps she knew this was the way it was going to turn out all along... My guess is that her ultimate goal might be different from Wesker's and mine. This is just the perfect opportunity to find out. And after I get rid of Leon and retrieve the sample, I'll put her in a body bag along with Leon and send them both to Wesker. Not forgetting Leon's litle red-jacket girlfriend as well, I don't know where she's from, but i'll dispose of her also._

"Damnit, that maniac..." Leon grumbled, stuffing the paper into his pocket and climbing the ladder.

But they werent oin for an easy ride. Barely had htye made it into the ruins of what was probably an ancient city, then the maniac from before attacked once again. Krauser.

Before he started trying to obliterate them, Krauser told of the three parts of a seal they would need to get to where Ashley was. Every step they took they were dogged by Krauser, whose only aim seemed to be to kill them. It finally came to a head when they cornered him at the top of a tower. But Krauser was infected by the plagas too, and he mutated into something that barely looked human.

It took almost everything they had, plus a rocket to the face again to finally put him to sleep. That done they ganked the last part of the seal and made haste to open the gate out of there.

On the other side of the door was another military encampment. They had to quickly duck behind a large crate, as it was CRAMMED full of ganados (the camp, not the crate), some with rockets, others with bowguns, and many with dynamite. The fact there were at least two machine gun turrets didnt help either.

"We're screwed!" Red wailed, and Leon was almost tempted to agree with her. Until he heard the sound of helicopter blades.

"Ooh, look, a Roflcopter!" Red grinned. Leon was about ask what the hell Roflcopter meant, but was intterupted by his radio going off.

"Someone call for backup? 'names Mike, good to see ya!" Having introduced himself, the pilot turned the chopper to face the crowd of ganados, and opened fire. Within seconds he'd mown down the whole encampment, and blown up an oil tank and a radio tower into the bargain.

"Yeah!" Red cheered, watching the chopper at work.  
"Now THAT'S what i call backup!" Leon agreed.

They made their way through the whole of the rest of the massive encampment areas, aided and abetted by Mike and his choppers arsenal of weapons.

Through another set of doors, and up a set of stairs that seemed to be carved of out the rocky surface they were on. The steps led out into a wide clifftop area. Which was full of more rocket-weilding ganados.

"Fuck." was all Red could say, Leon just stared. But before they could even pull out a gun, they heard the comforting whine of chopper blades, and Mike reappeared behind the crowd of ganados. Without needing to be told they dived for cover and left it to the chopper pilot to eradicate the swarm of ganados.

They walked up to the edge of the cliff once they were sure it was clear, and the chopper hovered just in front of them. Leon grinned, and red offered the pilot a grateful smile. "If we get out of this, drinks are on me!" Leon offered.

"Hey great, i know a good bar-" but mike's words were cut off by a whooshing sound, then the helicopter exploded in a massive blast of fire. The duo stared in horror as the craft dropped from the air, crashing to the cliffs below. They looked in the direction it came from, and saw Saddler, with a ganados beside him, which threw aside the used-up rocket launcher, then they turned and disapeared.

Seconds later, the comm unit crackled, and Saddlers cold laugh came over the airwaves.

"Oh, im SO sorry you two.."

"Saddler you bastard!!" Leon fumed, Red was furious.

"Just like the red lady's friends, i had to swat them, they were merely flies, buzzing around-"

"YOU ASSHOLE!!" Red grabbed the unit from Leon and glared at Saddler's face on the video screen. "You're gonna get yours, just you damn well wait you old fart!"

But Saddler just laughed and cut communications.

* * *

They made thier way through another set of doors, then down a hole into an underground room. They got a surprise on entering, for waiting for them was a familair face. It was Ada. But this was no time for a happy reunion, as the paarcite inside Leon decided to cause trouble, and Leon seemed to lose total control and tried to strangle Ada. Luckily, with Red's help, she got free from him, and a swift kick to the stomach and a jab in the leg with Ada's knife stunned him back to normal.

"We need to get the paracite out of your body Leon" the raven-haired woman said quietly, then she turned to the tired Red "..i assume you're not infected..are you?". Red shook her head, and Ada nodded, then tossed a bag at her, stating she may need it, before walking out the door.

Red blinked, an opened the bag, pulling out a white shirt. She blinked, wondering how the woman had known she needed it, and why she'd given it to her. Deciding she would think about that later, she quickly whipped her red jacket off, and switched shirts (all this before Leon even turned round to ask what was in the bag). By the time he'd turned to face her she'd already changed, and put the jacket back on.

Deciding not to ask how she'd changed clothes so fast, they carried onwards.

An entire army waited them once they got through the undergorund cell block, which came complete with a regenarator, which Red happily let Leon deal with.

Leon left red to figure out how to open the door, which she quickly managed, and they continued ploughing thier way through the seige of ganados. At last they entered what looked to be an expriment chamber, and there, inside some sort of capsule-type machine, was Ashley.

Unfortunalty Saddler was right behind them, and would have surely killed them, had Ada not intterupted him. She urged them to run, while she made an attempt at dealing with Saddler. They didn't need to be told twice, so they grabbed Ashley and ran. The next room they came across had a weird-looking machine in it. A report on a sidetable informed them that this weird hunk of junk could be used to remove the plagas. The infected pair didnt need telling twice.

Red grimmaced as she watched the treatment of Ashley and Leon. The removal process looked painful, and Ashley looked ready to start crying when it was finally over. Taking only a minuite to rest, they had to go on, to get out of there.

* * *

They emerged outside, the cold air hitting, and Ashley shivered. Red sighed, and headed towards the blue flame just ahead, and bought what she hoped would be the last rocket she'd need. But although it looked like this place was deserted, something didn't feel right, both Red and Leon felt uneasy. They told Ashley to wait, then rode the elevator up to a construction platform.

No sooner had they stepped off the lift then they spotted Ada, tied up and unconsious, dangling from a crane. Leon quickly got her down, but they got no time to talk, as Saddler appeared once again.

He waved his hand at Leon, the staff twitched again, but nothing happened. Saddler frowned, and Leon laughed, suggesting he try something else. Saddler looked furious for a split second but then he just laughed.

"You americans and your cliche's...the hero always saves the day.." He sneered at them "let me awaken you from your...little fantasy world.." His mouth opened, and what seemed to be a huge eyeball was inside it, then his body split and began changing. With a sickening crunch, six legs burst out from his body, his neck extending, until he resebmled a demented spider of sorts. It towered over them, its single eyeball glaring down at them.

Red gaped, feeling about to be sick, what was this thing and how were they going to stop it?!

She wasn't given much time to think, as it attempted to impale her with one of its legs. It laughed as she ducked under it, and swung at her again as she ran off towards the other end of the construction platform. The it turned its attention to Leon, as he tried to follow her. Hearing Leon swearing, she turned back around, pulled out the mine thrower, and let rip with every piece of ammo it had.

The round of resulting explosions bought it to its knees, and Leon used the valuble oppertunity to plunge his combat knife into its eyeball. It screamed and threw him off, writihing in pain before getting back up. Red opened fire at it again, but it wasnt going to leave itself so wide open again. Quick as light, it grabbed a metal support bar and flung it at her. It hit her in the stomach, she distinctly felt a few ribs crack as it slammed her to the floor. Gasping and hiccuping in pain, she threw it off, quickly assesing the damage. Three ribs cracked, but not serious thankfully, she'd gotten off lucky. Had one pucntured her lung she'd be on the way to death.

Leon ran over, quickly scooping her up off the floor and running across a bridge to another part of the platform. He set her down behind some barrels, and reloaded the guns, keeping an eye on the thing as it scutttled right for them. She watched dizzily, wanting to just pass out, but knowing that was a bad idea..

The Saddler-creature was hurt, no doubt about it. Strange, viscous looking blood flowed from its eyeball, and dozens of other gaping tears in its skin, its screeches of fury echoing over the rooftop platform.

Then it jumped, leaping across the gap in platforms, landing not far in front of them. Leon leveled then gun again and resumed firing as it stomped towards him. In an effort to stop it finding Red, he ran under it like Red had done before, drawing it away from the girl.

From her postion atop one of the structure on the platform, Ada watched the battle, holding something in her arms. Once she saw Leon was within range she tossed it down to the ground, knowing he'd see it. But sadly, SHE didn't see the ganados sneaking up on HER.

Leon spotted the little present Ada had dropped, a red-tipped rocket launcher, and dove for it, readying and aiming it at Saddler as it turned to attack one last time.

At the same time, Red spotted the thing creeping up behind Ada, a paracite waving froms its neck. She tried to shout to the other woman, but it was no use, her voice was too weak. So she did the only thing she could. She pulled her own rocket launcher from her back, aimed and fired at a crate that was hanging from a pulley, a few feet ahead of the ganados. Hoping her plan would work, she pulled the trigger.

Ada turned her head as she heard a gurgled sound, and seen a paracited ganados right near her, the razor shapr tentacle about to swing for her neck. She swore and, in a split second, felt a stab of anger that she hadn't heard it...but as she prepared to feel that thing cleave her head from her neck, there was a loud boom overhead, and a crate plummted down on top of the approaching enemy, crushing its body udnerneath the weight. The paracite thrashed once, then stopped moving altogether.

She quickly look towards the lower platform. And saw two things that made her smile. First, Saddler lay dead, the special rocket having incinerated its body for good. And she also saw the red-jacket girl tossing aside a used rocket. It was her that had fired the rocket at the crate...

She dropped down to the ground, just in time to stop Leon from picking up the master plagas sample. When she aimed a gun at him, he simply handed it over calmly, only asking if she knew what was in it? She just smiled and turned, running off the edge of the platform.

Red limped up to Leon, clutching her chest, thinking the woman had tried to kill herself by jumping off like that, but she turned out to be wrong. Ada reappeared, seated inside a chopper. She waved the sample at them, promising to look after it.

"I'd get off this island too, if i were you, its set to blow in a few minuties..." she looked at red, smiling slightly "i owe you for that little stunt with the rocket, thank you.." she looked at leon, "i'll give you two a chance to escape, so run now..." She tossed a key to Leon, and smiled "bye bye..."

Red blinked, then smiled and saluted Ada as the the chopper flew away, leaving them both standing there. They raced back to the elevator, pausing only to grab Ashley before running, or staggering in Red's case, down a tunnel to an underground waterway. Parked there was a small motorboat, evidently thier reward for getting rid of Saddler.

They barely made it out in time, for even as they sped throught the long winding cave, the ceiling was starting to collapse. They just made it outisde into bright sunlight when the dynamite set all over the island detonated. The shockwave almost capsized the boat, but by sheer luck it survived, and they tore away, full speed to land.

Red sighed, releived to be safe but knowing she'd never forget the woman in the red dress, or any of what she'd seen.

She heard Leon and Ashley talking, Ashley giggling and trying to get info out of Leon about ada. Leon smiled and shook his head, then picked up the comm unit as it beeped, and Hunnigan appeared on the vidscreen.

"Finally, the lines jack-free, whats happened?"

"I've completed the mission, targets safe and sound, were heading back now."

"Good work Leon. Is that other girl still with you?".

Leon looked over his shoulder to the half-asleep Red "Yeah, shes here."

"I see. I managed to find out a little about them."

Leon listened, intersted "so where is that militia from?"

"That i cannot be sure about, i wasn't able to find a location, but the info i did find is interesting. Thier essentially hired forces, they'll take high-risk jobs or operations, but for a very high price, there wasnt any info on its members, but from what i gathered, they employ only the best."

Leon frowned "so someone hired them to find something in that town?"

"More than likely, im not sure, thats all the info there was, and that was hard to get. Did you find the missing chopper?"

Leon shrugged "No. Their confirmed dead, the same guy who caused all this fuss shot them out of the air."

"That's unfortunate, but not much we can do now. Hurry back."

"Right, see you back on land" with that, the transmission ended. Leon looked at Red "how are you feeling?"

Red looked at him and smiled slightly "i've been better bud, bur i'll survive.." She sat herself up and winced slightly. "Since you saved my ass back there, i suppose i'd better start explaining why that chopper was there to start with."

She took a deep breath before starting, "Not too long ago, the biology lab of our main HQ was broken into, several valuble viral specimens were stolen."

Leon frowned "Viral specimens? You guys were working on a virus? Are you some sort of Umbrella clone?!"

Red coughed and shook her head "its easy to assume we're like umbrella, snce we deal in viral research, butit was nothing like that. We were working on a...counter-virus so to speak, to try eradicate the common flu. But sadly, work wasnt going as we'd hoped, weird side-effects kept showing."

Ashley blinked "side-effects?"

Red nodded "although it did effectively clear the virus from the test subjects body, and boosted the bodys imunity level immensley, it also caused mild memory loss, and in one rare case, it blended with the original virus and mutated. It was discovered that a low percentage of people may experince such mutations, and we were working on eradicating the problem.."

Leon wiated for all this to sink in. What kind of militia were they?

"But," ashley broke in "why would someone steal the virus if it caused side-effects?"

Red frowned. "It wasn't clear then, but with all i've seen now..im betting it was Saddler. No doubt he wanted the virus, to add to the plagas...upgrade it so to speak.." She sighed "its only a theory, and theers no chance of proving it now the islands gone...but..."

Leon was quiet. During his first encounter with Krauser, during which Ada had saved his life, Krauser had briefly mentioned Umbrella. He got the feeling it wasn't Saddler that had stolen the virus. He had his suspicions that Ada was working with Wesker, and maybe all this was connected to Umbrella.

Red glanced at Leon. He'd been quiet since she'd mentioned the viral research bit. She got the distinct impression he was angry, more than likely at her for not mentioning this.

But she took a deep breath and continued "so, anyway, there were reports of strange mutations in a remote village around the area the chopper went missing, so they sent a two-man team over there to see if matched the mutation symptoms we found in the testing phase...i kept in contact with them, but no sooner had htey arrived than communications were cut. So i was sent out to find out what had happened...and you know the rest. Saddler shot them down."

She leant back in the boat, struggling not to cry afresh. She hadn't given herself proper time to accept it all, and now they were free, she felt the overwhleming desire to just cry as long as she wanted. But that wouldnt make the situation any more cheerful, so she forced herself to stay calm.

She could feel herself drifting off to sleep, and she thought of one last thing to tell them before she passed out.

"Before i forget, im gonna tell you something secret!"

Ashley blinked "secret?"

"Yup" Red smiled exaustedly at the other girl, and finally put to rest the one question her two companions had been wondering since theyd met her, "..my name, it's Lnt. Rachel Yanmark".

Leon smiled, having fianlly found out her name "Red Raven's Rachel," he chuckled slightly, "it suits." Ashley clapped her hands and smiled "i was wondering what your name might be! How come you never tell anyone?"

Red laughed softly "We're supposed to be a top secret miltia, giving our names away isn't a common practise, but for you two, i don't mind bending the rules.." She leant back again and closed her eyes. "Sorry for this, but i gotta sleep awhile...my body's killing me..." and with that, she finally got sleep.

Leon let her sleep as they tore towards the mainland. As they drew close, he radioed Hunnigan to tell her to send a medical team to the nearest dock port, what with Red looking half-dead and all. Then he pushed the boats speed to max and hurried towards land.

Barely had the boat tocuhed the docks edge, then he heard the screech of sirens. Looking up he saw an ambulance, two police cars, and a limo heading right for them. Evidently Hunnigan had decided to send as much help as possible just in case. As the cars screeched to a halt, Leon carefully picked Red up and carried her from the boat.

Ashley looked worriedly at the out-cold Red, but then she heard a voice calling her name. It was her father! Joyfully she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. Leon smiled, glad to see them reunited.

In his arms, Red stirred and cursed quietly.

"Wherem' i?" she asked dopily.

"The docks, were back." he answered, walking over to the ambulance with her.

She smiled, raising one hand to pat his head "about feckin' time eh.." she coughed again "ow, that hurts."

"Stay still." he said shortly, as he put her down on the stretcher the medics had prepared.

Feeling releived it was all over she managed a weak smile at him. "Wheres Ashley?"

He nodded over to where Ashley and her father were standing, Ashley describing everything that had happened. Red smiled, growing sleepy again, "im glad, i was worried we wouldn't get out of that nightmare..."

Leon nodded, sighing "same here, but its over now. Ashley's safe, you found out what happened to your men, and Saddler's gone...but," he looked back at her "what're you going to do now? Go back to your base?"

She gave a wheezy laugh, then coughed again. "Of course, thier gonna wanna hear about what happened, but..£ she sighed slightly, "i'll be in a hospital for awhile, dont suppose you two could come see me could ya? I'll go crazy stuck in there on my own.."

Leon smiled slightly "you can count on it."

With that in her mind, Red drifted off to sleep again, listening to the noise all around her. She felt happy for the first time since shed found out the deaths of her men. They'd saved one life and brought it home, that was a victory that was worth all the terror and pain.

--Thank you...Leon, Ashley...Ada...-- she thought drowzily, then she drifted into comforting sleep.

* * *

---3 days later---

* * *

Red, or as was her real name, Rachel, sat up in bed in the Hospital she'd been brought to after they'd gotten back to the mainland. It had been 3 days since then, and still she thought over all that had happened.

On her bedside table lay the two passes and the hunk of metal that was all the remained of the chopper. She sighed, it still hurt to recall those deaths, but that would heal, given time. She hadn't yet contacted her HQ, there would be time enough once she recovered.

"Just through here, sir, ma'am." she blinked as she heard the doctors voice. It must be important vistors to warrant such terms, was it the FBI again? She sighed wearily, she'd been questioned repeatedly the previous day, and the last thing she wanted was another inquisition rammed down her throat.

"Gone crazy yet?" remarked a familiar voice, and someone else giggled in response to the wisecrack.

She blinked, her gaze turning to lock onto the two that the doctor had let into the room. It was Ashley, carrying a large bunch of flowers, and behind her was Leon, grinning all over his face.

She smiled, laughing slightly "not quite crazy but almost there" she answered.

The two sat down beside the bed, and Ashley handed Rachel the flowers. "We got you these, to cheer up your room!"

"Thier wonderful..." Rachel smiled "Thanks". She held the flowers in her arms and smiled happily, it was good to see them again.

For the time they were there she was able to relax, smile and forget the horrors in the past.

But it couldn't last forever, she had to return to her HQ eventually. She left without saying anything, flying home in a helicopter.

Some weeks later, an odd letter arrived for leon in the post. It had just his name on it, no adddress, so whomeevr sent it must be important maybe. There was a single sheet of paper inside, which bore only the words:

"Thanks for everything blondie, say hi to ashley for me. It was great worekin with ya!"

And underneath that, drawn in ink, was the same insignia he'd seen on the back of a jacket. He smiled, and folded it back up again, noticing another doodle as he did. It was a cartoon of a chopper, beside which was scribbled "Roflcopter, in case you wondered!" He laughed, folding it up fully, to keep it as a memento, for it didnt seem likely he'd see her again...


End file.
